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Frequently Asked Questions

Before booking, price and payments

Best price - is on our website

All of our best prices are listed on the website and in our booking engine. They are regularly updated with relevant discounts and offers. We cannot offer better prices via email.

What is included in the price?

Included insurance:

  • Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) 
  • PAI (Personal Accident Insurance)
  • Third party liability insurance


The CDW excess amount displayed at time of reservation indicates the maximum amount of money you are liable for, in the event of damage to or theft of the vehicle. This excess amount may be lowered by purchasing optional insuranced package at time of reservation or during pick-up. Read all about our insurance options
 

The Reykjavik rent a car prices always include:

  • No Pre-Authorzation/Security deposit requered at pickup 
  • Free shuttle service at Keflavik airport, pick up and drop off
  • 24 hour road assistance
  • Free cancellation (until 48 hours before pick up)
  • Free reservation changes
  • Studded winter tires in winter
  • Cleaning of the car after drop off
  • Weather warning e-mails during your trip
  • Fuel discount card with free wifi and coffee at Olís and AO gas stations.

 
Furthermore, your car rental quote takes into account all mandatory charges connected with your booking such as:

  • Unlimited mileage/km
  • 24% Local VAT
  • Airport surcharge if applicapable
How can I pay for my rental car?

On arrival we accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Diners Club, JCB, Union Pay and Discover credit cards.
We also  accept a debit card, debit/credit card or prepaid credit card only if the card has a 15-16 digit number on the front, and you buy our Platinum Insurance package for the duration of your rental period.

No Security deposit is taken from the card at arrival.

Please note: 
The cardholder/renter and the card used to pay for the booking has to be present at pick up and the card that is used to pay online has to be the same card as is used to guarantee the rental agreement.

We offer two card options:
1. We will accept a credit card as a guarantee, no security deposit is required. If the credit card is not clearly marked as a credit card our front desk staff is not authorised to accept it.
2. We will accept a debit card, debit/credit card or prepaid credit card only if the card has a 15-16 digit number on the front, and you buy our Platinum Insurance package for the duration of your rental period.

If the card or card holder is not present at pick up, we will need another card to pay for the booking as well as guarantee the rental agreeement, otherwise we are not able to deliver the car. The cardholder of this new card will be the renter, their card will be charged for the amount of the booking and the older card will be refunded.

Just remember that the cardholder/renter and all extra-drivers have to be present to sign the rental agreement at pick up. The card used also has to be valid for 90 days after the rental period ends.

Information about credit and debit cards
If you are in doubt whether your card is a debit or credit card, feel free to contact us and we will look up your card number. We have English, French, Polish, Danish and Icelandic speaking agents that are happy to assist you.

Our cancellation policy is as follows
If you cancel up to 2 days (48 hours) prior to pick up you get full refund (100% refund).
If you cancel less than 48 hours before pick up you will not get a refund (0% refund) unless you buy our Cancellation Protection.
No shows are not refunded (0% refund).
If you pick up the car, but decide to drop off early, we do not refund the unused, or partly used rental day(s) unless amendments to booking or cancellations have been made prior to the pick-up date.

This means that if you pay online and present your debit, debit/credit or pre-paid credit card at time of pick up, but decide not to take Platinum insurance, no refund will be made as that is considered a cancellation within our 48 hours no cancellation period.

The main driver and the credit card holder are not the same person, what should I do?

The person that owns the credit card used to pay for the booking and takes responsibility for the car has to sign the rental agreement. If that is not the same person as the main driver, we will list the driver as an extra driver.

Just keep in mind that all drivers and extra drivers have to be present at pick up to sign the rental agreement. 

Can I rent without a credit card?

Sure! You can pay with debit cards that have the online payment option.

When you pick up the car, that same card has to be used to guarantee the rental agreement. We offer two card options:
1. We will accept a credit card as a guarantee, authorization is required. If the credit card is not clearly marked as a credit card our front desk staff is not authorised to accept it.
2. We will accept a debit card, debit/credit card or prepaid credit card only if the card has a 15-16 digit number on the front, and you buy our Platinum Insurance package for the duration of your rental period.

If the card or card holder is not present at pick up, we will need another card to pay for the booking as well as guarantee the rental agreeement, otherwise we are not able to deliver the car.
The cardholder of this new card will be the renter, their card will be charged for the amount of the booking and the older card will be refunded.

ATTN The cardholder/renter and the card used to pay for the booking has to be present at pick up and the card that is used to pay online has to be the same card as is used to guarantee the rental agreement. 

Just remember that the cardholder/renter and all extra-drivers have to be present to sign the rental agreement at pick up. The card used also has to be valid for 100 days after the rental period ends.

How do you protect my personal and credit card information online?

The online reservation service is located on a secure server that guarantees the safety of a transaction. The system uses SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encrypting technology. SSL works by encrypting all communications between your computer and our server so the information cannot be intercepted.

How will I know that my booking is confirmed?

You will receive a Booking confirmation within a few minutes after you have confirmed your booking. Sometimes our Booking confirmations go to people's junk or spam folders, if you do not receive your booking confirmation please check there. 

Your booking confirmation has all the information about your booking. Please have it handy on your phone or a printed out copy when you pick up your car.

Age requirement and drivers license
    • Driver must be at least 18 years old. All drivers must have held their license for at least one year before the start of the rental.  The driver must hold a valid licence throughout the period stated in the rental agreement. In other respects, Icelandic law shall apply to the driver.  
    • For small cars: Drivers who are under 20 years old are subject to an additional young driver fee.
    • For Mini bus and SUV’S : Drivers who are under 23 years old are subject to an additional young driver fee.
    • All drivers are required to present an appropriate driver’s license, valid for the car group rented, at the beginning of the rental and a valid passport. Both ID´s will be scanned and may be kept upto two years. Copies are not accepted.

    We accept all driving licenses issued by countries within the EU and USA/Canada. If you are from a country outside those regions we will accept your driving license if it has a license number, your photo, a valid date and is in roman alphabet. If your driving license does not fulfill those requirements you will need an international driving license to drive in Iceland.

Can I use the European health Insurance card In Iceland?

Yes, you can.

What is the European Health Insurance Card?

A free card that gives you access to medically necessary, state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in any of the 28 EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, under the same conditions and at the same cost (free in some countries) as people insured in that country.

Cards are issued by your national health insurance provider.

Important – the European Health Insurance Card:

  • is not an alternative to travel insurance. It does not cover any private healthcare or costs such as a return flight to your home country or lost/stolen property,
  • does not cover your costs if you are travelling for the express purpose of obtaining medical treatment,
  • does not guarantee free services. As each country’s healthcare system is different services that cost nothing at home might not be free in another country.

Please note: when you move your habitual residence to another country, you should register with the S1 form instead of using the EHIC to receive medical care in your new country of habitual residence.

Difference between AWD and 4WD

The terms "all-wheel drive" and "four-wheel drive" are often used interchangeably, but they really shouldn't be. There are key differences between the two. Perhaps you've never known the differences between all- and four-wheel drive and were afraid to ask, or maybe you didn't realize they mean different things. 

Basically, an all-wheel drive system can send a variable amount of torque to each axle, and the driver doesn't typically control this. A four-wheel drive system sends a fixed amount of power to each axle, and it can be switched on or off by the driver. So, how do they go about doing their jobs? Generally, an all-wheel drive system uses a center differential to distribute the engine's torque between the two axles, while four-wheel drive relies on a transfer case, which functions like a locked differential.

At this point you might be wondering why there's a need for both of these types of systems, since the aim of both is to distribute power to all four wheels. Four-wheel drive is great for off-roading and other low-traction scenarios, since the system sends a fixed amount of power to each tire. Whichever tire has the most traction is guaranteed to get the power it needs, helping prevent the vehicle from getting stuck.

But four-wheel drive often doesn't work on the road for the exact same reason it works so well off road. In a corner, the wheels of a car spin at different speeds. With four-wheel drive selected, the system tries to get each wheel spinning at similar speeds, which makes on-road cornering difficult. That's why most four-wheel drive systems can be operated in a two-wheel drive mode, which is recommended for road use.

All-wheel drive systems are great for road usage because they can actively send power to the wheel (or wheels) that need it most. Some all-wheel drive systems have a fixed torque split between the front and rear axles, but those don't have the same issues with cornering as four-wheel drive systems since they rely on a differential rather than a transfer case.

Of course, there are lots of different types of all- and four-wheel drive systems that buck these conventions.

Payment in formation

Please note 
The cardholder/renter and the card used to pay for the booking has to be present at pick up and the card that is used to pay online has to be the same card as is used to guarantee the rental agreement.

We offer two card options:
1. We will accept a credit card as a guarantee, pre authorization is required. If the credit card is not clearly marked as a credit card our front desk staff is not authorised to accept it.
2. We will accept a debit card, debit/credit card or prepaid credit card only if the card has a 15-16 digit number on the front, and you buy our Platinum Insurance package for the duration of your rental period.

If the card or card holder is not present at pick up, we will need another card to pay for the booking as well as guarantee the rental agreeement, otherwise we are not able to deliver the car. The cardholder of this new card will be the renter, their card will be charged for the amount of the booking and the older card will be refunded.

Just remember that the cardholder/renter and all extra-drivers have to be present to sign the rental agreement at pick up. The card used also has to be valid for 100 days after the rental period ends.

Our cancellation policy is as follows
If you cancel up to 2 days (48 hours) prior to pick up you get full refund (100% refund).
If you cancel less than 48 hours before pick up you will not get a refund (0% refund)
No shows are not refunded (0% refund).
If you pick up the car, but decide to drop off early, we do not refund the unused, or partly used rental day(s) unless amendments to booking or cancellations have been made prior to the pick-up date.

This means that if you pay online and present your debit, debit/credit or pre-paid credit card at time of pick up, but decide not to take Platinum insurance, no refund will be made as that is considered a cancellation within our 48 hours no cancellation period.

Information about credit and debit cards
If you are in doubt whether your card is a debit or credit card, feel free to contact us and we will look up your card number. We have English, French, Polish, Danish and Icelandic speaking agents that are happy to assist you.

No hidden fee or deposit

24% Local VAT is included in the price and we don´t take security deposit from your card.

Insurance and extras

What insurance do you offer?

We offer the following insurance packages:

Please visit our Insurance page for details about the insurance we offer.

CDW is always included in our prices. We highly recommend adding insurance before you drive on the Icelandic roads. 

What is not included in the Silver and Platinum insurance packages?

The renter is always responsible for the following damages, which are not covered by our Silver or Platinum insurance packages.

Examples of this are: 

Damages caused to the underside of the vehicle
Damages caused when driving off road or through waters and rivers
Damages caused to the tires or the wheels of the car 
Damages caused by the wind blowing up the door
Damages caused by negligence or driving while intoxicated

For a full list of what is not covered as well as details about our Insurance check out our Terms page.

Can I book additional extras or equipment?

Yes, you can book additional extras online or at the front desk when you arrive. They involve extra cost and are subject to availability. You can read all about the extras we offer on our extras page.

We advice you to book GPS, Wifi and child seats before you arrive to make sure we have one available for you. 

Our offices and pick-up information

What do I need to bring when I pick up the car?

When you pick up the car, you will need to have a valid driving license and the card used to confirm booking online, to guarantee the rental agreement.

We offer two card options:

1. We will accept your credit card as a guarantee, no pre-authorization is required. If the credit card is not clearly marked as a credit card our front desk staff is not authorized to accept it.

2. We will accept you debit card, debit/credit card or prepaid credit card only if the card has a 15-16 digit number on the front and you buy our Platinum Insurance package for the duration of your rental period.

Please note 

The cardholder/renter and the card used to guarantee the booking online has to be present at pickup.

If the card or card holder is not present at pick up, we will need another card to pay for the booking as well as guarantee the rental agreeement, otherwise we are not able to deliver the car. The cardholder of this new card will be the renter, their card will be charged for the amount of the booking and the older card will be refunded.

Just remember that the cardholder/renter and all extra-drivers have to be present to sign the rental agreement at pick up. The card used also has to be valid for 100 days after the rental period ends.

If you present a card that is not clearly marked a credit card at time of pick up, but decide not to take Platinum insurance, no refund will be made as that is considered a cancellation within our 48 hour no cancellation period.

Information about credit and debit cards
If you are in doubt whether your card is a debit or credit card, feel free to contact us and we will look up your card number. We have English, French, Polish and Icelandic speaking agents that are happy to assist you. 

How can I locate the closest Reykjavík Rent A Car rental location?

We have an office at the international airport in Keflavik

Information about our office at Reykjavik KEF airport, including how to find us.

When are the Reykjavik Rent a Car offices open?

Our office by Reykjavik KEF airport (internatinoal airport) is always open for pick ups. If you are dropping off a car at night during our office season you can leave the keys in the drop off box. 

Do you offer a shuttle service at Reykjavik KEF airport?

Keflavik Airport Office 

How To Find Us

Visiting our Keflavík airport office is simple. From Keflavik airport, there is a free shuttle service to our office that operates every 15 minutes, from 5 am to 6 pm every day. Once you exit the customs area at the Keflavik airport in Reykjavik, continue straight ahead outside the airport entrance where you will then find the free airport shuttle service. Our car hire office at Reykjavik’s airport is located at the 4th stop, making your car collection smooth and simple.

Between 6pm and 2am you have to call us so that we can pick you up at the airport, our phone number is +354 569 3300. 

If you love the great outdoors, our rental office is in walk away distance from the airport, see map here below.

When you arrive at our Keflavík airport offices, our friendly team will welcome you and assist you with your hire car collection. We will run through your confirmation and provide you with everything you need to start your Icelandic adventure in the comfort of your quality Reykjavik Rent a Car.

Here is a map of our location and it shows the best walkway to our office (around 5 min walk). We look forward to see you.

Kef kort

Can I choose to pick up a car out in the country?

No, unfortunately we do not have sales offices out in the country. Our only rental location is at Kef Int. airport

What happens if I will be late to pick up the car?

If you will be late for some reason please let us know as soon as possible, we will of course hold the car for you. 

If we do not hear from you, we hold the car for 2 hours after your pick up time. After that we might give the car to another customer.

 

Are there any unpleasant surprise fees at pick up?

No, there are no surprise fees at check out. Your booking includes taxes, delivery fees (if you have chosen them), insurance and extras as well as all other fees. You can see information about your booking on your booking confirmation. 

Furthermore, we do NOT require a security deposit/pre-authorization when you pick up the car. 

After booking

Will I get the same car I booked?

We always try to provide the car you booked but we can not guarantee the brand and model. If the exact model you booked is unavailable at the time of pick up we will give you a similiar model or an upgrade.

Cancellation policy - Early drop off

Our cancellation policy is as follows:
If you cancel up to 2 days (48 hours) prior to pick up you get full refund (100% refund).
If you cancel less than 48 hours before pick up you will not get a refund (0% refund).
No shows are not refunded (0% refund).
If you pick up the car, but decide to drop off early, we do not refund the unused, or partly used rental day(s).

Is it possible to modify my reservation after it is confirmed?

Yes, we allow you to modify or cancel your reservation after it is confirmed. This service is free of charge. You simply need to send us an email and our sales representative will assist you.

Regarding extensions, please be aware that we are not always able to accommodate your extension requests, especially during high season. Please contact us 24 hours before your scheduled drop off so we can do our best to extend.

Please note that no refunds are issued for cancellations within 48 hours or for unused rental days after the pick up has started - view the cancellation policy for details. 

For changes to reservations made via a Travel Agency, please contact the relevant agent.

You will receive a confirmation of amendment or cancellation by e-mail. 

Drop off information

If you are dropping off in our office by KEF airport we advise you to be there at least 3 hours before your flight. The airport is a busy international airport with many planes leaving at the same time. Once you have returned the car to our lot, you can take the shuttle bus to the departure hall.
 

Drop off tips
Remember to fill up the tank to avoid our service fee, which is 5000 ISK (plus the price of filling up the tank).
There is no need to clean the car on the outside, but please throw away all trash before dropping off, we really appreciate it. 

And finally, please make sure you check if you have all your items with you. We advise you to check the glove compartment and under the seats especially. 

During the rental

Where can I check road conditions and weather?

Good job, you should always check road conditions and weather before you start your journey. Visit the following websites for help, you can just go to the part of the country you plan to drive through and see road conditions, wind speed, real time web-cam footage, weather alerts etc. 

Safetravel.is for weather alerts and safety information, www.safetravel.is
Weather forecast from the Icelandic Met Office, http://en.vedur.is
Road conditions and wind speed, updated every 10 minutes, www.road.is
Real time web cameras around the country, www.road.is/travel-info/web-cams

Parking or speeding tickets, what happens?

If you get a parking ticket we will pay for the ticket and then charge the credit card we have on file for the ticket.

If you get a speeding ticket we will send information about you to the police which will then contact you directly. 

In both cases we charge service fee of 5000. ISK from your card. (and for each ticket you get after that).

What happens if our car breaks down?

If your car breaks down, please call us right away. We will decide the best course of action depending on the level of breakdown.

If the car can be repaired we will guide you to the nearest service garage where the car will be fixed. 

In cases of complete breakdown we will bring you a new car as fast as we can. 

We always try to find the best and fastest solution for both parties. 

Do your cars have studded tires in winter? What about snow chains?

All our rental cars have studded, winter tires in winter. We make sure the tires on our cars are suitable for driving in winter conditions out on the Icelandic roads. 

However, Icelanders do not use snow chains so we do not rent out snow chains. 

Note:

Iceland laws allow for vehicles to be fitted out with winter tires from November 1st. to April 15th each year

Where can I find information about F-Roads?

F roads are highland roads in the highlands of Iceland. You will need to drive a 4x4 car on the F roads because of the road conditions and rivers that need to be crossed.

Check out an informative brochure about F roads in the highlands of Iceland here. It contains information about road opening times and much more. 

 

What about fuel?

All our rental cars have a full tank of fuel at pick up and should be returned with a full tank of fuel.
Please make sure you know which type of fuel your rental car uses. 

Most gas stations in Iceland have self-service pumps which are open 24/7. There are gas stations all over the country. 

Service fees

Parking fines
There is a 5.000 ISK handling fee for all fines or charges that result from renters use of the car and the renter does not pay himself. The Car Rental will charge the renter for fines and charges plus the previously mentioned handling fee.

Speeding fines
If the renter gets a speeding fine, the car rental will send information to the police which will then contact the renter directly. A service fee of 5.000 ISK will be charged. You will be notified if this happens.

Extra cleaning
If the car is returned extra dirty inside the renter must pay 15.000 ISK cleaning fee.

Smoking in cars
We do not allow smoking in our cars. If someone smoked inside the car during the rental, the renter must pay 45.000 ISK for cleaning fee.

Picking up damaged car
If the car is damaged and needs to be picked up, the retrieve fee is a total of 350 ISK per km outside of the capital area or a minimum of 35.000 ISK.

Flat tire
If the car is returned with a flat tire, the renter is charged at the time of drop off, total of 30.000 ISK for a small and medium sized car. For a large and luxury car, the total charge is 45.000 ISK at the time of drop off. The tire will then be taken to a tire repair shop and if it is repairable, the total charge is 8.000 ISK and a refund for the difference is made immediately.

Fuel tank
Every rental car comes with a full tank of gas, but it’s the renter’s responsibility to return the vehicle with an equally full tank. Customers who won’t have the time to refuel before dropping off a rental can pay for the fuel fee when dropping off the car. Service fee is 5.000 ISK plus the price for the gas.

Vadlaheidargong tunnel
If you do not pay when you go through this tunnel in North Iceland, the car rental will be notified and will charge your credit card for the 1.650 ISK tunnel fee plus a 5.000 ISK service fee, a total of 6.650 ISK.

Info about the Vadlaheidargong tunnel in North Iceland

Vadlaheidigong tunnel is a brand new 7,5 km tunnel on the ring road a little further than the town of Akureyri in North Iceland. You can read all about in on our blog post Everything you need to know about the Vadlaheidargong tunnel in North Iceland.

Driving through the tunnel comes with a cost. If you pay within 3 hours the price is 1.650 ISK. The price is one way.

Please note that if you DO NOT pay at all, Reykjavik rent a car will be notified and will charge your credit card for the 1.650 ISK tunnel fee plus a 5.000 ISK service fee, a total of 6.650 ISK.

 HOW TO PAY ONLINE THE TOLL ROAD:

You have two options to pay the tunnel: before and after passing through

  1. I want to register BEFORE going through the tunnel:

Go to www.tunnel.is and register your car for the period you will be driving through the tunnel. Thereby, you will be charged the regular fee of 1.500kr for each trip you do during your registration.

Be aware of:

-We don’t charge you for registering the car. You will be charged only for the trips you do.

-You must drive through the tunnel during your registration period.

-Don´t register your car later than your rental car period ends or the next user could use your account. 

  1. I want to register AFTER going through the tunnel:

Go to www.tunnel.is within the next 3 hours of your trip if you want to pay the regular fee of 1.650 ISK.

Be aware of:

-If you go through the tunnel and you don´t register your car in the next 3 hours, car rentals will be notified and will charge your credit card for the tunnel fee plus their own service fee.

There are free WIFI points on the east entrance of the tunnel and in the gas station N1 in the west, that you can use to register and pay the toll.

The tunnel shortens the Ring Road by 16 km (10 miles), saving drivers up to 12 minutes in good weather conditions. Information about weather and road conditions is found at www.safetravel.is.

 

Early drop off

If you pick up the car, but decide to drop off early, we do not refund the unused, or partly used rental day(s) unless amendments to booking or cancellations have been made prior to the pick-up date.

Where can I find the owners manual for the vehicle

We have owners/user manuals for most of our cars listed here.

You can download the manual or use them online.